Automatic ice cube freezing apparatus



May 11, 1965 E. B. ARCHER 3,182,468

AUTOMATIC ICE CUBE FREEZING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Aka/v65. 44 695,?

mvvp/vev May 11, 1965 E. B. ARCHER AUTOMATIC ICE CUBE FREEZING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. fame 5. Age/ps1 United States Patent 3,182,468 AUTOMATIC ECE CUBE FREEZING APPARATUS Erling ll. Archer, 33--74 191st St, Flushing 58, NX. Filed Dec. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 244,831) 3 Claims. (Ci. 62353) This invention relates to automatic ice cube freezing and harvesting apparatus, and in particular to improvements adapted for use with the types of apparatus disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 245,364 filed of even date herewith which is a continuation of my prior copending application Serial No. 206,218, filed June 29, 1962, and now abandoned, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of an earlier application Serial No. 854,- 138, filed November 19, 1959, and now US. Patent No. 3,048,986, dated August 14, 1962.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide an ice cube freezing tray and associated ice cube ejecting means for use in standard household refrigerators which will facilitate both the freezing of water into ice cubes in the tray pockets and the ejection of frozen ice cubes from the tray pockets.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a resiliently distortable ice cube tray which is formed of metal for accelerated freezing of the water in the tray pockets, and the ejector fingers of which are actuatable in a novel manner to positively lift and eject frozen cubes from the pockets at the end of each freezing cycle.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of such an ice cube tray in which the ejector fingers are actuatable either while the said tray is making a complete rotation or while it is making an angular movement less than a complete rotation.

The foregoing and other objects and characteristics of the tray arrangement according to the present invention, as well as the advantages accruing from its use, will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, partly sectional top plan view of the ice cube tray and ejecting mechanism of an automatic ice cube freezing and harvesting apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, partly sectional front elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1 and illustrates the tray at the start of a freezing cycle;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 and illustrates the tray in the ejection part of the cycle; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 and illustrates the tray after the completion of the ejection operation.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3,

the ice cube freezing and harvesting apparatus there shown is generally positioned at one side of the freezer compartment 11 defined within the body of the refrigerator R. The compartment 11 may, of course, be located either in the upper or in the lower region of the refrigerator. In the illustrations of FIGS. 1 and 2, the front of the refrigerator is not shown, but it is to be understood that the access door for the freezer compartment would be located at the right of the figures. The unit 10 thus is seen to be located at the junction between the rear Wall 12 and the side wall 12a of the compartment 11. These walls, as is conventional, are suitably insulated and support the refrigerant-conducting freezing coils (not shown).

More specifically, the unit it comprises a tray 13 preferably made of metal and divided by partitions 14 extending from the front edge 13a of the tray to the rear edge 13b thereof into a plurality of compartments 15 10- ice cated in side by side relationship between two relatively rigid end frame members 16 and 17. Suitably affixed to the frame member 16, as by means of a nut 18, is an axle I? which extends rotatably through one arm 20 of a U-shaped bracket 21 secured at its closed end to the side wall 12:: of the refrigerator by screws of bolts 21'. The end of the axle 19 between the bracket arms 20 and 20a carries a spur gear 22 which meshes with a pinion 23 secured to a shaft 24 which is journaled in the bracket arms 2% and 20a. The shaft 24 at its end outside the bracket arm 20a carries a gear 25 which meshes with a pinion 26 secured to a shaft 27 journaled in the bracket arm 20a and in a parallel offset extension 20b thereof. Beyond the latter, the shaft 27 further carries a gear 28 which meshes with a gear 25 secured to the output shaft of a motor 30 mounted in the freezer compartment 11 by being bolted, as shown at 31, to the refrigerator side wall 12a.

The other frame member 17 of the tray 13 rotatably receives a horizontal hollow axle 32 secured by means of its flange 32a to the rear wall 12 of the refrigerator R in axial alignment with the axle 19. The interior of the axle 32 accommodates the discharge end of a feed pipe 33 through which water can flow from any suitable reservoir or supply location into the body of the tray 13. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, that part of the pipe 33 which extends through the wall 12 is oriented at a downward slant for a purpose to be more fully explained hereinafter. It will be apparent that the distribution of the water into the various pockets 15 of the tray 13 is effected through the provision of cut-outs or recesses 14a in each of the partitions 14.

The ice cube ejecting means for the unit 10 comprises a plurality of flat, curved fingers 34 which are integral with and extend essentially radially from a fiat plate 35. The plate 35 is provided with two lateral extensions or ears 35:; which are provided, respectively, with pivot pins 35b (see FIG. 1) rotatably received in suitable axially aligned bores provided in the frame members 16 and 17. Each of the fingers extends into and is disposed substantially centrally of a respective one of the tray pockets 15. Suitable torsion spring means 350 (see FIG. 1) are provided around the pivot pins 35b to bias the plate 35 in such a direction about its pivot axis as to normally cause the fingers 34- to lie flush against the bottoms of the tray pockets 15, as shown in FIG. 3. The tray 13 is formed so that each of the pockets has an arcuate bottom (FIG. 3) and a pair of side walls which diverge upwardly from the said bottom (FIG. 2). The ice cubes frozen in the pockets thus are essentially half-moon shaped.

Juxtaposed to the plate 35 is a bracket 36 having a pair of outwardly extending arms 36a, the bracket being bolted to the side wall 12a of the refrigerator. Rotatably journaled in the bracket arms 36a is an abutment roller 37 the axis of which is at a small angle to the horizontal, for a purpose which will be more fully explained presently. The abutment roller 37 is located above the plate 35 when the tray is in its horizontal and upright position. As clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bracket 36 is further provided with a rigid horizontal platform extension 38 which is disposed beneath the tray 13 and is substantially coextensive with the body of the latter intermediate the frame members 16 and 17 The metallic bracket 36 is in direct thermal contact with a surface cooled by the freezing coils (not shown), whereby the platform 38 serves to cool the region directly under the tray in the same manner as would the cooling coils if there located. This tends to accelerate the freezing of the water in the tray, which action is further enhanced by the provision of the spaces between adjacent tray pockets (FIG. 2) to ensure that the water is surrounded on all sides by the coolest possible atmosphere.

To illustrate the operation of the apparatus '10 most clearly, a complete cycle will now be described with particular references to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. As a starting point it isassumed that a preceding ejection operation has just been concluded and that the, motor 30 has rotated the tray water to flow therethrough and into the tray via the open end of the axle 32. After a predetermined timeinterval, set in accordance with the time required to fill the tray, the timer causes the valve to close.

It might be noted at this point that the slanting of the pipe 33 has, a specific function in ensuring the proper performance of the filling portion of the cycle. As will be readily appreciated, at the end of each filling operation some droplets of water may remain .in that section of the pipe located in the axle 32, which will freeze. Should the resultant ice particles not be removed, they could build up during successive cycles until the feed pipe is blocked. The water flowing from the reservoir into the tray at each cycle is sufficiently higher in temperature to loosen the ice particles from theinner surface of the pipe, and by virtue of the slanting of the'pipe'the flow velocity of the water is sufficient to sweep the loosened ice particles out of thepipe and into the tray. Any possible freeze-up of the feed pipe is thus effectively prevented;

As previously pointed out, thelocation of the platform 38 having a high thermal conductivity adjacent the.

sneaass metal bond is broken, of, course thetray body. resumes its normal untwisted shape by virtue of its resiliency.

It .will be understood that when the tray has rotated far enough to drag the plate: 35 past the! abutment roller the tray until the latter is again horizontal, whereupon tray, acting in conjunction with the high thermal conductivity of the metal tray. itself, ensures that the freezing of the water-in the tray proceeds at a greatly accelerated pace As a result, the cubes are substantially fully formed and frozen after a relatively short period of time. At the. end of this'period, the timer sets the motor into operation. This causes the tray 13 to be rotated through the intermediary of the gear train 22-29 (or any other suitable transmission means) in the direction of the arrow A. As the tray rotates, the plate moves therewith and ultimately reaches the abutment roller 37. Due to, the slanted arrangement of the roller'3'7, however, the left-hand end of the plate 35' (as seen in FIG. 2) reachesthe roller first, and thereafter, as the rotation of the tray continues,

progressively one part of the plate after another engages the roller until, when'the right-hand end of the plate reaches the roller, these two elements are in full surface contact with each other overtheir entire lengths. Inasmuch as the. fingers 34 at this time are frozen fast to the tray ,13, the progressive movement of the plate 35 into full contact with the abutment bar 37 and the resistance which the latter offers to the tray rotation results in a slight twisting of the tray about its longitudinal axis.

This breaks not only the bonds between the various ice cubes and the metal surfaces of the tray pockets 15 but also the bonds between the said ,ice cubes and the fingers 34.

Upon further rotation of the tray, the now loose plate 35 is rocked in a clockwise direction about its pivot axis 35b-35b relative to the body of the tray (FIG. 4). This raises the fianges34 away from the bottoms of the tray pockets 15 'and causes the ice cubes to be positively. ejected from the tray and over the front edge 13a thereof into any suitable receptacle, e.g. a bin (notshown) for the aforesaid control element, which senses this condition, stops the motor and starts the timer (FIG. 3). The next filling operation is thus initiated and the cycle is repeated as described.

Although the operation of theapparatns according to the present invention has been disclosed as involving one complete rotation ofjthe tray. about its, axis during each freezing and ejecting cycle, it willbe apparent that the objectives of the invention may be achieved With'less than a full rotation of the tray. The only change in the. apparatus which this operatingrequirementwould entail is the provision of some means forpreventing any movement of the tray beyond the position thereof illustrated in FIG. 4. Merely by way of example,-this may be accomplished by substituting for all or a part ofthe gear train 22-29 a crank mechanism capable of imparting to the tray the I desired angular reciprocal motion. Other ways of attaining such angular reciprocal motion: of the tray, will readily suggest themselves to' those skilled in the art.

It will also be clear that the means, i.e. the platform 33, for accelerating the freezing part of. the cycle may be replaced by means for effecting a forced flow of cold air over and around the tray, along the lines of the arrangements of this type disclosed in my previously mentioned prior Patent No. 3,048,986 and cop ending application Serial No. 245,364. Bythe same token, the apparatus 10 may be a part of a removable unit as disclosed in the just mentioned patent and application rather than a permanent installation as shownand described in the instant application.

A particular advantage of the apparatus according to this invention is thatthe ice cube ejecting operationis purely mechanical in nature and. involves nov application of heat to loosen the cubes from the tray pocket surfaces. Thus, there is no problem of disposing of melted ice, nor is there any possibility of wet cubes in the storage bin becoming frozen to one another.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the construction according to the presentinvention is for purposes of illustration only, and that a number of changes other than those already indicated may be made'in the structures and structural relationship's herein disclosed without any departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the hereto appended claims.

, Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In an automatic ice cube freezing and harvesting apparatus; a tray defining a plurality of pockets for receiving water to be, frozen into ice cubes, means mounting said tray for angular nrovement,fabutrnent means disposed adjacent the path of said angular. movement, rigid ejector means pivotally supported by said tray and comprising a plurality of ejector fingers each projecting into a respective one of said pockets of said tray, and a member connected to said ejector means and adapted to come into engagement with said abutment means during said angular movement of said tray for raising said ejector fingers out of said pockets so'as to expel frozen ice cubes therefrom.

2. In an automatic ice cube freezing and harvesting apparatus; an elongated tray defining a plurality of pockets for receiving water to be frozen intoice; cubes, means E b mounting said tray for angular movement about an axis parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the tray, abutment means disposed adjacent the path of said angular movement, rigid ejector means pivotally supported by said *tray and comprising a plurality of ejector fingers each projecting into a respective one of said pockets of said tray, and a member connected to said ejector means and adapted to be engaged by said abutment means during said angular movement of said tray for raising said ejector fingers out of said pockets so as to expel frozen ice cubes therefrom.

3. In an automatic ice cube freezing and harvesting apparatus; an elongated and resiliently deformable tray defining a plurality of pockets for receiving water to be frozen into ice cubes, means mounting said tray for angular movement about an axis parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the tray, elongated abutment means disposed adjacent the path of said angular movement and oriented at a small slant relative to said axis, ejector means pivotally supported by said tray and normally projecting into said pockets thereof so as to rest against the bottoms of said pockets, and a member integral with said ejector means and extending parallel to said axis for engaging said abutment means progressively from one end to the other during said angular movement of said tray,

whereby initially during such angular movement said tray is twisted slightly about its longitudinal dimension so as to break the bonds between any frozen ice cubes and the respective surfaces of said pockets and said ejector means, while thereafter upon continued angular movement of said tray past the abutment means said member is rocked relative to said tray and raises said eject-or means out of said pockets so as to expel frozen ice cubes therefrom.

4. In an apparatus according to claim 3; said mounting means comprising a pair of axially aligned axles supporting said tray at the opposite ends of the latter, one of said axles being secured to said tray and adapted to be connected with drive means, and the other of said axles being hollow and defining a conduit through which water can be fed into said tray.

5. In an apparatus according to claim 3; said tray being made of metal.

6. In an apparatus according to claim 3; said tray having the side walls of each of said pockets diverging upwardly from the respective bottoms of said pockets, thereby spacing the exteriors of said pockets below the tray from one another to enhance the freezing of water in said pockets.

7. In an apparatus according to claim 3; said abutment means comprising a roller stationarily supported adjacent said tray, said member comprising a rigid plate coextensive in length with said roller and provided at its opposite end edges with a pair of ears pivotally connected to respective end portions of said tray, and said ejector means comprising a plurality of rigid arcuately shaped fingers extending at spaced locations from one of the longitudinal edges of said plate.

8. An automatic ice cube freezing and harvesting apparatus, comprising an elongated and resiliently deformable tray defining a plurality of pockets for receiving Water to be frozen into ice cubes, a pair of axles mounting said tray for angular movement about an axis parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the tray, drive means operatively connected to at least one of said axles for rotating the same about said axis, one of said axles being hollow and defining a conduit through which water may be fed into said tray, elongated abutment means disposed adjacent the path of said angular movement and oriented at a small slant relative to said axis, a plurality of ejector fingers each extending into a respective pocket of said tray, means mounting said eject-or fingers on said tray for joint pivotal movement relative thereto, means operatively interconnected between said tray and said mounting means for biasing the same so as to normally position said fingers flush against the bottoms of said pockets, and an actuating member connected to said mounting means and extending parallel to said axis coextensively in length with said abutment means for engaging said abutment means progressively from one end to the other during said angular movement of said tray, whereby initially during such angular movement said tray is twisted slightly about its longitudinal dimension so as to break the bonds between any frozen ice cubes and the respective surfaces of said pockets and said ejector fingers, while thereafter upon continued angular movement of said tray past the abutment means said actuating member is rocked relative to said tray and raises said ejector fingers out of said pockets so as to expel frozen ice cubes therefrom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,757,519 8/56 Sampson 62-71 2,846,855 8/58 Frei 62--353 2,942,435 6/60 Nelson 62364 X 3,027,731 4/62 Lindenberg et a1 62-365 X ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

MEYER PERLIN, Examiner. 

1. IN AN AUTOMATIC ICE CUBE FREEZING AND HARVESTING APPARATUS; A TRAY DEFINING A PLURALITY OF POCKETS FOR RECEIVING WATER TO BE FROZEN INTO ICE CUBES, MEANS MOUNTING SAID TRAY FOR ANGULAR MOVEMENT, ABUTMENT MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT THE PATH OF SAID ANGULAR MOVEMENT, RIGID EJECTOR MEANS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED BY SAID TRAY AND COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF EJECTOR FINGERS EACH PROJECTING INTO A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID POCKETS OF SAID TRAY, AND A MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID EJECTOR MEANS AND ADAPTED TO COME INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ABUTMENT MEANS DURING SAID ANGULAR MOVEMENT OF SAID TRAY FOR RAISING SAID EJECTOR FINGERS OUT OF SAID POCKETS SO AS TO EXPEL FROZEN ICE CUBES THEREFROM. 